City of Music
by out.of.andromeda
Summary: In a Princess and the Pauper type setting with an uproarious twist, City of Music follows the progress of Kurt and Blaine through rebellion, corruption, and strife in a large and unforgiving world. Klaine Fantasy AU. Possible M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone! So after a few months of just keeping this on Tumblr, I decided to bring it here. I'd like to thank all of my friends who've helped me spread it around and who've given me feedback. Before you get yourselves into anything, I'd like you to know that I don't have that much free time to write, so this story won't update very often. I'll try to make my updates as long as possible, though. If you decide to keep reading, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Oh, yeah, and my tumblr URL is juststarkidding if anyone wanted to know :)**

They lived in a city of music. Of rhythm. Of sweet melodies and smooth harmonies. Of Paradise.

Kurt was a dancer. The Music flowed under his skin, through his veins like blood made of gold. It swam out through his fingertips and he moved with it, letting it lead him to where it wanted. The Music lived in him. He was the Prodigy.

Blaine was just a boy. A boy who worked to keep the city alive and full of luxuries. He dreamed of making music, of making things come alive with every note. But he belonged underground with the other Workers; the miners, the woodsmen, the circuit-breakers. One day, Blaine finished his load of work and snuck off to his place. On a walk, he'd found a special nook under a crack in the cement where he could sit and stare at the Palace. He always fantasized about the Music in that edifice. How it must've reverberated behind the walls, pervasive and soft, but only soft enough for the soul to hear.

It called Blaine's soul, from however far it was. It called him and he got up and he moved toward it, entranced. He moved and ran and he reached the gate. He longed to reach out and touch it, to connect with it. The Music was louder than ever now. It thrummed in his ears, in his heartbeat, using his everything to magnify every note and rest. He raised his eyes through to the Palace-doors and he saw him, an angel in this dark world. The Prodigy.

He was beautiful. More than that, he was…otherworldly. He seemed to float inches off the ground. He seemed to glow. His skin was pale porcelain, his robes soft-looking and breathy. He was rested, at ease. He was stunning.

The breath caught in Blaine's throat. The Music sang in his eardrums. The world spun beneath his feet. It felt like the heavens opened and poured sweet music down upon him. Blaine was so overwhelmed by it all. He knew that he'd need to come here, to see him every day. He might die if he didn't. Kurt, with galaxies spinning and living in his eyes, caught Blaine's stare. He cracked a curious, lovely smile. It was like the world collapsed in on Blaine. His heart thrummed wildly, doing all it could to break free from his chest. It didn't belong to him anymore. It belonged to the beautiful creature before him, so close, yet so incredibly far away. He wanted to reach out, offer his everything to the boy he'd never spoken to. But he couldn't. And he walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Today was unusual. The Underground was silent as Blaine walked in. For a moment he was afraid they'd found out what he did, who he'd seen. He was relieved to find out that they weren't focused on him. They were, however, huddled in a corner, speaking in hushed voices.

Blaine caught broken pieces of it, words like _Elders _and _revolt _and _it's time _and he reeled and stumbled out, doing all he could to keep the bile down. It was happening. The Revolution that had for so long traveled in whispers and encrypted notes throughout the Underground was rearing its ugly, bloodied head.

For years now, the Underground remained restless about their place in society. They've constantly been pushed down by the Elders and the elitists of their society and _they've had enough_.

But Blaine couldn't do it. He knew what would happen. He knew that if they won, the Prodigy would be killed. The boy he'd never spoken to would be silenced for good.

No.

And so Blaine ran, back to those brilliant gates and the sprawling platinum towers and to the boy who'd stolen his heart.

His muscles screamed as he ran, but he ignored the burn and kept on, hoping beyond hope that he would be there.

Blaine skidded to a stop in front of the gates, quickly scanning the front yard. He saw him there, gazing at the yellow roses.

"_Hey!" _Blaine whispered, trying to grab the boy's attention without attracting any witnesses. The boy looked up and around, finally spotting Blaine. His eyes widened and then flickered to the general direction of his keepers before silently making his way over.

"Who are you?" he asked curiously, tinkling voice momentarily distracting Blaine.

"I'm Blaine. I know this sounds crazy, but we need to get out of here. I'm trying to help you, okay?" Blaine whispered conspiratorially, looking at the other boy with big, pleading eyes.

Kurt frowned and stared at the ground before nodding resolutely to himself. He looked into Blaine's eyes and turned around, marching off decisively into the distance. Blaine made to grab at him through the gate and almost caused a racket, but the other boy turned sharply and offered a staying hand. Blaine pulled back and Kurt carried on.

He was back after a few minutes.

"Blaine," Kurt started. Blaine's eyebrows rose. He loved the way his name rolled off the other boy's tongue. "Please, come back after dark. Meet me here at midnight—the guards usually fall asleep by then." Kurt hesitated and looked back at the palace. He leaned closer to the gate and Blaine followed. Their faces were but a few inches away. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears again. He hoped it wasn't obvious. "Go. This never happened."

Blaine nodded briefly and ran off.


	3. Chapter 3

The night fell. The towers glowed, an enormous beam of light in the midst of lonely shadows. It was late, very late, and Blaine was at the gates, waiting and hoping for the one thing he came for.

Kurt arrived, gliding stealthily towards the gate. He didn't know why he was doing this exactly. It was just a feeling; a raw, twisting instinct buried at the pit of his stomach. It was a force to be reckoned with, allowing him to trust in Blaine so quickly and easily. And so he went.

From what Blaine could see, Kurt was clad in black silk that hugged his thin frame. He carried a small leather knapsack with him. Leaning close to the gate, Kurt whispered, "We have to go through the back. There's a tunnel there, underground. It…should be abandoned. I hope it is. I'll meet you behind the Towers. There's a fence there that's hidden beneath the brush."

Blaine swallowed thickly and nodded, setting off, sprinting alongside Kurt through the barrier.

The farther back they went, the messier and more unkempt their surroundings got. There was nothing farther back west than the Towers, so it was unnecessary for the groundskeepers to maintain the pristine condition where no one could see it. The two boys ran onwards, tripping over rocks and branches and overrun plantlife. Finally they reached the fence. The thing was filthy, dilapidated, and practically falling off its own hinges. Kurt turned, heaving, and faced Blaine.

"There should be some sort of staircase close by—I can't remember."

Blaine searched, eyes meeting old, knobbly trees and rotted brush. A little ways away, when the strong barriers picked up again, there was a small cement staircase. It only seemed to lead into the woods, however.

"There," Blaine said, pointing it out. "Is that it?" Kurt followed his line of vision.

"That's the one, yes. C'mon." Kurt began to walk over.

"Wait!" The other man turned, looking back at Blaine. "It—it just leads to the woods. At least…"

"No," Kurt said. His eyes shined with light mischief and he smirked. "Everything is not as it seems—especially not around here, Blaine."

Blaine raised his eyebrows and followed him, pushing through the rickety fence gingerly and trotting to keep up.

The boys reached the edge of the staircase, peering down. The ground had leveled out, and some choicely planted bushes and leaves would've lead an onlooker to believe that it simply did lead to the forest. Kurt knew better, however, and brushed the leaves aside to reveal a perfectly circular tunnel. It was about a 5-foot drop straight down, then it continued in an easy slope, deeper and further into the earth.

"Be careful. I'll go in first and call for you when I've gotten out of the way. Watch your ankles!" Kurt whispered, sitting himself down at the rim and pushing forward. Blaine heard a soft thud and some shuffling before Kurt called his name.

"You okay?" Blaine said softly, lowering himself to a sitting position the same way Kurt did. He heard a whispered affirmative and pushed himself forward, steeling himself for the fall.

It felt like a split second. He whistled through the air, stomach flipping in over itself, and Blaine landed smoothly on his feet. He looked up at Kurt. He held a flashlight in his hand, pointing toward the darkness.

"Good. Okay. I—we need to hurry." Kurt looked back into the abyss. "I don't exactly know how far this goes."

Blaine creased his eyebrows in worry. This was getting too risky; perhaps they should find some other way. And suddenly there was a tingling at the pit of his stomach, a visceral scream through his gut, a powerful instinct. They needed to keep moving forward.

Kurt and Blaine moved through the tunnel, traveling its winding paths and narrow hallways. They came to a widening in the tunnel, then. It was almost like a little room. There were a few small tables and chairs and torch-holders on the walls. Everything was covered in dust. Blaine was silent as the feel of death and abandon permeated the air.

The boys tried to make their way through the carnage, Kurt side-eyeing Blaine the entire time. When the tunnel returned to its old twisting ways, the tension that had thickened the atmosphere back in the room had dissipated. The boys stayed silent, however, even as the ground began to slope up, leading to a patch of land that was probably miles from where they had started. When Kurt brought a hand up to scale the last, steeper section of the tunnel, he sagged in relief as he felt cool, crisp air brush against his fingertips. They climbed up the ridiculous slope and pulled themselves up onto the grass.

The two sagged against a nearby tree. They were at a lake, or a marsh of sorts. Their surroundings were dark save for the reassuring twinkle of the stars and the moon in the sky. In the distance, they could see the Towers, looming over a shadowed valley, positively glowing, energy thrumming with the heat and intensity of the power it held over the people.

Blaine crawled over to the water, still and clear, and splashed his face, savouring the quiet relief that came with it. Far behind him, in the city, there came a loud boom, like a thousand explosions at once. Blaine's body snapped back as he pushed himself up against the tree.

The city was burning. _The city was burning. _

There were fireworks in the sky, lighting the whole countryside up further, as if the city hadn't been enough on its own. The Towers had begun to look unsteady, like they were cracking, even from the great distance at which Kurt and Blaine sat.

"_Thank you._" Kurt choked out, watching his home fall, as if the Earth was sucking it back into the ground. He knew now. Had he been there still, he would've been murdered, slaughtered. Worse. His heart swelled; he owed his life to this boy he barely knew.

Blaine looked over, tears in his eyes at the sight of the great, beautiful edifice crashing to the ground. He silently took Kurt into his arms and held his hands. He knew. They both did.

"_You're safe now."_


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt woke with a start the next morning. It was not a good way to wake up; he was disoriented and uncomfortable and the clear skies and sunshine above him did nothing but mock his discomposure. He sat up on the grass, leaning against the tree trunk and heaving a great sigh. This little nook was so different the night before. Last night, it was a soft cavern that kept them safe from the discord in the city beyond. Now it was just a ghost of a sanctuary, about as effective in keeping them safe and hidden as a clear plastic sheet.

Kurt looked over at Blaine, the boy who saved his life, and found him curled up at the base of the tree against a knot in the roots. Kurt smiled lightly, letting him sleep a little more. Kurt got up and rifled through his knapsack, finding a large, empty flask and filling it up with the clear lake water.

"We have to go."

Kurt started, twisting his body to face the other boy. Blaine sat up and eyed him carefully before gesturing to the city beyond. Kurt closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, barely sparing his old kingdom a passing glance. Kurt stood and helped Blaine up, staring curiously at him as one glaring detail dawned upon Kurt.

"You saved me," Kurt began, approaching carefully as Blaine pointedly avoided his gaze, "but you don't even know my name." The other boy's eyes widened, blood rushing to his cheeks in embarrassment because no, he did indeed not know the name of this boy he risked his life to save.

"I'm Kurt." Blaine jumped a little as a hand came up in his peripheral vision.

"Blaine," he said, smiling timidly and moving to shake Kurt's hand. The boys stood awkwardly, stuck in a greeting that was long overdue.

Blaine cleared his throat and let go, turning to scout the path.

"It'd be better for us to stay off roads, but seeing as there's not much more besides open fields and dirt roads, we'll have to make do until we reach the next town," Blaine said, eyeing the grassy field. Kurt sighed and picked up his knapsack.

"C'mon then, Blaine. If we're going this way, then we'll need to make it quick."

The two boys started off into the distance, Kurt only daring to look back once at the broken city he was leaving behind.

~.~.~

Kurt and Blaine were well in on their journey when they finally struck up a conversation.

"Thank you," Kurt had murmured almost inaudibly. Blaine has looked at him, cocking an eyebrow, and Kurt repeated, louder now, "Thank you. For…for everything." The other boy smiled, grabbing Kurt's hand and squeezing it. Kurt inhaled sharply at the contact and Blaine retracted his hand, seemingly shocked that he'd attempt such a thing, and looking like he'd rather be anywhere but there at that moment.

Kurt cleared his throat, ignoring the shock that ziplined up his arm and down his spine that accompanied Blaine's touch. "Where, uh…Where are we going, exactly?"

Blaine glanced at him, a sheepish look on his face. "I don't really know. I just thought we could find a safe place to stay and hide out until we figured out a safe route out."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Out where?"

"Out of the country, probably. If not, then out of the general area of your city, at the very least," Blaine replied nonchalantly.

Kurt swallowed thickly. "And then?"

"And then…you could settle. Start a new life with a new name."

Kurt stayed silent, processing the information. "What are _you _going to do?" he asked suddenly.

"I don't know," Blaine replied honestly. "Maybe…maybe I can start fresh, too. I could…make _art _and _music _and leave all this _pain _behind," he murmured wistfully, a far-off look in his sad eyes. He chanced a glimpse at Kurt and caught his eye, smiling softly at him. Kurt knew what he meant, how he felt. It was the pain one developed through loss and strife, through secrets too heart-breakingly heavy to share, and with no one really to share them with. The moment passed and the boys stayed silent, both pairs of eyes transfixed on the road before them. After a while, Kurt hazarded a glance farther upwards.

"Blaine," he said, and the other boy forced himself to look at Kurt, questioning his odd tone of voice.

Blaine turned. And there it was. His face split into a wide grin at the prospect of being so close. Straight ahead lay a wide iron gate that opened into a huge, sprawling city that was brimming with life, with buildings, with people. The city was big and bustling, a striking contrast to the tranquility and solitude of the open fields and grassy hillsides.

Upon entering the city, the boys were thrust into a marketplace that was positively thrumming with life and energy. The two stood, walking around and taking in the sounds, the sights, the smells of the foreign market. The crowds swarmed and dispersed spasmodically, like honeybees in a jar. At the end of the road by the entrance, a throng of people bustled around in a commotion. Suddenly all the shops were packing up, people were yelling and screaming and rushing to get off the streets. The whole marketplace was enveloped in an atmosphere of chaos.

Amid the struggle, an elderly woman grabbed at Kurt's collar, who yelped and instinctively grabbed at Blaine. The three made a train of struggling outsiders, wading through a sea of squirming crowds. The woman got up onto the front steps of her house, the two boys tagging along behind her, and shut the door on the outside world. She whirled to face Kurt and Blaine, who were struggling to get their bearings.

"What the hell was that?" Blaine blurted. The woman shot him a look.

"Raid. It was a raid. Don't fret, there are at least one or two a week," she replied. "Tea?"

Kurt eyed her, but nodded. "Forgive me, but who are you?" he asked quietly.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "It isn't enough that I saved you both from being trampled out there?"

Kurt opened his mouth, an apology and a quick backpedal on his tongue, but she waved him off.

"Rosemary," she said, sticking a hand out at him, "Rosemary Garnery. You can call me Mrs. Rose. Or Mrs. Mary. Or Ms. Garnery. It doesn't matter to me."

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other in confusion, reluctantly following the woman further into her home.


End file.
